MANILA — The Office of Cybercrime (OOC) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said it has requested YouTube to preserve the account that Sen. Francis Pangilinan complained of before Quezon City prosecutors Monday.

Pangilinan filed a cyber libel against those behind the “Maharlika” channel, whom he accused of spreading lies and defamation against him, his wife Sharon Cuneta and their daughter Frankie Pangilinan.

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“The purpose there is to make sure that the integrity of computer data relating to the account is intact and available in the event that the complainant will pursue with the filing of the case with the prosecution service,” said DOJ OOC head Charito Zamora in a text message to reporters.

She clarified however that it is not her office that will summon the respondent.

“We don’t issue subpoena. Our law enforcement agents do that (NBI). And since that the person complained of was identified, the complainant can already file directly with the National Prosecution Service of the DOJ,” she explained.

“But the challenge there is, apparently, the person being complained of is based po abroad,” she added.

Claire Maharlika, the person who claims to be behind the Balitang Maharlika channel, is based in Santa Monica, California, USA, according to her Linkedin account. She identified herself as a freelance blogger.

On Facebook, she uses the handle @BalitangMaharlika and displays her photo with presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos. She identified Beverly Hills as her current city.

The Maharlika YouTube channel has been producing pro-Marcos content.

Maharlika also created a content based on Pangilinan’s complaint.

The senator, who is seeking the vice presidency this year, filed two separate cyber libel cases last year against “Latest Chika” and “Starlet” YouTube channels over allegedly malicious videos which the social media giant subsequently took down.

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